Outside the Fiend Palace was a snow plain, and the blizzard was intense at night. The Taiji Peak Lake climate was winter throughout the year, and no one knew how thick the snow was on the ground. Amidst the forest, Lin Xiaoxiao and the Archaionfiend stood in the woods.
“Why isn’t he out today?” Lin Xiaoxiao covered herself in a long black and white coat and crimson lightning flickered in her eyes.
“Something’s wrong,” said the Archaionfiend. It was significant in size, and its wings were unfolded to protect Lin Xiaoxiao from the snow.
“What’s wrong?” Lin Xiaoxiao asked.
“There’s some trouble. He lost control. It’s all about the Sky Plunderer Clan’s Li Tianming. Why the hell did he stay inside!” said the Archaionfiend coldly.
“Tianming is also inside? What do you mean?” Lin Xiaoxiao raised her voice as she looked at the Archaionfiend coldly.
“Why the hell are you getting so emotional? You can’t blame me for this. Xuanyuan Yuheng had a grudge against him long ago, and he’s still showing off inside. Xuanyuan Yuheng was affected by the fiendwill, which amplified his negative emotions,” said the Archaionfiend.
“Xuanyuan Yuheng is one of the strongest disciples in the Heaven Branch. Doesn’t that mean that Tianming is in danger?”
“Don’t worry about it. Judging from Xuanyuan Yuheng’s emotions, he’s currently flustered. He clearly failed to kill Tianming. This Tianming really has tons of ways to protect himself,” said the Archaionfiend coldly.
“He’s fine?” Lin Xiaoxiao finally felt relieved. She rolled her eyes and looked at the Archaionfiend, who said, “You didn’t lie to me when you said Xuanyuan Yuheng lost control, right? There’s only Tianming competing with you over the eye. Are you trying to kill him to exterminate the threat?”
“You’re overthinking it!” said the Archaionfiend.
“Wu You, I’ll head back to the Earth Branch if you don’t give me an explanation right now,” demanded Lin Xiaoxiao.
The Archaionfiend needed to stay in the Heaven Branch if it was to manipulate Xuanyuan Yuheng. So if Lin Xiaoxiao returned to the Earth Branch, it would seem weird if the Archaionfiend stayed behind as her lifebound beast. And if the process was disrupted, Xuanyuan Yuheng would gradually return to normal.
“You dare?!” the Archaionfiend raged.
“If you continue forcing me, yes. In the end, no one will have a good time,” said Lin Xiaoxiao.
“And where’s your bottom line?” sneered the Archaionfiend.
“You hurt others with your eyes.”
“Haha, you’re rather kindhearted,” laughed the Archaionfiend. “Archaionfiends like me can devour ants like them with just a lick.”
“Then why do you look so pathetic if you’re so powerful?” Lin Xiaoxiao sneered.
“You!” The Archaionfiend was deeply offended by those words and glared at Lin Xiaoxiao for a long time. “Can’t you use your brain to think? Do you think it was easy for me to find a medium? If Xuanyuan Yuheng kills Tianming, he’ll lose his life too. Then, wouldn’t my plan go down the drain? Tianming still hasn’t had an opportunity to approach the Archaionfiend Eye, so there’s no need for me to fear him. All I have to do is ensure that Xuanyuan Yuheng doesn’t die or leave. I’ll take my eye back sooner or later!”
“But Xuanyuan Yuheng will have to participate in the Number One Summit. Tianming will have his chance once Xuanyuan Yuheng leaves,” said Lin Xiaoxiao.
“So what? He’s weak, and there’s no way he can be compared to his ancestors. Without the Fiend Shackles, there’s nothing he can do about it,” said the Archaionfiend.
“Fiend Shackles?”
“It has nothing to do with you. You just have to behave,” said the Archaionfiend.
Lin Xiaoxiao pondered about it, and she felt that the Archaionfiend probably wasn’t lying. After all, Xuanyuan Yuheng was important to it.
“But now that he attacked Tianming, will he still be able to stay there tomorrow?”
“Let’s just see how it goes. I have no idea. After all, they’re inside, and there’s no proof whatsoever. It won’t be easy for Tianming to get rid of Xuanyuan Yuheng. If he keeps going with it without any proof, others will only think that Tianming is a petty man,” said the Archaionfiend.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t leave tonight. Let’s wait till tomorrow,” said the Archaionfiend. The Sky Plunderer Clan is really annoying. Forget it. I wouldn’t be able to find such a suitable medium without him. If I have to wait for Lin Xiaoxiao, it’ll take at least ten years.
……
Tianming spent the entire night cultivating in the Prime Tower. From the Prime Tower, he could observe the situation outside. Xuanyuan Yuheng had been attacking the Prime Tower for half a day, but to no effect.
Tianming was now certain that the Prime Tower was left by an existence that was at least a god. At the very least, there was no way Xuanyuan Yuheng could damage it with tribulation artifacts. In the end, Xuanyuan Yuheng could only give up and resume cultivating under the Archaionfiend Eye.
Just like that, the night passed without them speaking a word to each other.
“You nearly crippled me, and you want to deal with me when I’ve yet to take my revenge? Haha.” It didn’t matter if something happened to Xuanyuan Yuheng’s rationale because Tianming couldn’t take this lying down.
When dawn approached, a Trioptic True Dragon Branch disciple came in. When Tianming heard the commotion, he put away the Prime Tower and appeared in the Fiend Palace.
The one who came in was Xuanyuan Muxue. She was surprised when she saw that the two had spent the night together peacefully. After a brief pondering, she came over to Xuanyuan Yuheng. He was looking at the sky, and the golden eye on his forehead was radiating with golden brilliance.
“Big Brother Yuheng,” Xuanyuan Muxue called out.
“What is it?” Xuanyuan Yuheng replied with a cold tone as he resumed his cultivation.
“Looks like you’ve thought it through. Good. We’re now tied together to face any future difficulties.” Xuanyuan Muxue was relieved. She continued, “Although it doesn’t feel comfortable lowering your head to an outsider, he’s still someone on our side contributing to the eminent. It’s good that you guys can give up your grudges for the bigger picture.”
“Good?” Xuanyuan Yuheng sneered. “Muxue, get lost.”
Xuanyuan Muxue was speechless. She realized that she was too naive.
“Okay, I won’t poke my nose in your business anymore. I’ll only take care of myself in the future.” She stood up and left Xuanyuan Yuheng, then sat back down in another location.
The Fiend Palace became peaceful. Although other disciples were coming in, they still maintained the silence. Everyone had been bitterly cultivating without uttering a single word.
“Why didn’t you go to Xuanyuan Lake to make a report?” Ying Huo asked.
“There’s no evidence. Furthermore, Xuanyuan Yuheng will surely feign innocence and claim that I framed him. So even if Ling’er manages to get Xuanyuan Dao to punish him, people will only think that I’m taking revenge on a personal grudge,” said Tianming.
“Then are we going to let him continue bullying us?” Ying Huo asked.
“No. He won’t be able to continue for long. Ying Huo, we climbed all the way here from the Human Branch, and now we’re only one step away from him. We’ve already come this far, are we really going to subdue him with the help of others? If that’s the case, how can I vent the anger I felt when I came to the Archaion Sect? It’s good that he hasn’t lowered his head under the pressure of his elders. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to find an excuse to take revenge,” said Tianming.
“You really do hold grudges, don’t you?”
“I’m willing to do it.” Tianming rolled his eyes. “But ten years is never too late for a gentleman to take his revenge. We have to do it fairly and openly, without any tricks.”
“Haha, as the saying goes, heroes share the same mind. I’ve been unhappy with him since long ago, and I have to beat him up one day,” said Ying Huo.
Tianming nodded his head with a smile. Honestly speaking, Xuanyuan Yuheng had already lost the ability to deal with him.
“We shall see who the last man standing will be!”
The number of people in the Fiend Palace gradually increased. Despite the crowd, Tianming and Xuanyuan Yuheng’s gazes clashed together. Tianming saw a blood mist within Xuanyuan Yuheng’s golden eye, which meant he still wanted his life.
You want my life? Then don’t blame me for sending you on your way!
The Deepstar Pool would be opening soon. Tianming stood and headed out, with Xuanyuan Muxue following behind him. Tianming’s white hair shone brightly, while Xuanyuan Muxue’s black hair draped down like a waterfall.
Xuanyuan Yuheng turned around and looked at their backs with a murderous surge in his heart.
……
The Number One Pavilion, Old Deepstar Path, Deepstar Pool, Fiend Palace, and the Hexapath Sword Palace. Tianming had been alternating between those locations for the past few days, living a fruitful life. He even occasionally returned to the Human Branch with Lin Xiaoxiao to visit his friends from the Swordking Faction.
Half a month later, Tianming made another breakthrough in his cultivation, thanks to the Old Deepstar Path’s Astral Wills. His Imperial Will absorbed Astral Wills, while other disciples had to observe and learn. In addition to the heavenly patterns on the Grand-Orient Sword’s four gates, Tianming was making rapid progress in his cultivation.
Who could compete with him? Aside from Feiling, who cultivated the Perpetia Sutra, there was probably no one comparable to him. But Tianming knew that his strength wasn’t the most terrifying thing about him. The capital coming from his talent wasn’t sturdy, and only strength could grant him the right to speak.
That was the reason why Tianming had been making progress in his cultivation silently without anyone noticing.
“Seventh level, the beast saint spring!” This was a transformational level for his lifebound beasts, and Ying Huo, Meow Meow, and Lan Huang benefited from it. Their saint springs expanded. Ying Huo’s infernal saint spring in particular was bigger than Tianming’s by half, and its internal saint ki was also more refined.